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DISPATCHES March
2019 Hi Guys, WELCOME
to this month’s “DISPATCHES”. As per usual there is a colorful
and eclectic mix of widely different eras and historical subject matter to choose
from and so we’ll begin with... WW2. 1.
BEING
RELEASED THIS MARCH... A.
‘A
WINTER WARRIOR’ Most
armies, given the choice, prefer NOT to fight their wars and battles
in wintertime... It’s cold, miserable, damp and the daylight hours can be
very short. All that being said the decision where, and importantly, when
armies ‘take to the field’ is usually left for their commanders
to decide. Two of
the most uncomfortable locations to fight a winter battle or a campaign in
was the Eastern Front between 1942 and 1945 and the Ardennes Forest
in December 1944. BBG118 “The Winter STUG Ⅲ” As many
collectors know the Sturmgeschutz Ⅲ more commonly referred to as the StuGⅢ was Germany’s second
most-produced armored fighting vehicle during World War 2. Built on
the chassis of the already-proven PanzerⅢ, it replaced the Panzer
turret with an armoured, fixed superstructure
mounting a more powerful 7.5cm main gun. This was originally intended
as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire infantry support. Later, the StuGⅢ adopted in addition another role,
similar to that of the Jagdpanzer...
tank destroyer! As
secondary armament the StuGⅢ mounted the tried and tested MG34
machine gun complete with protective shield. Approximately
10,000 StuGⅢ’s of various types were built between 1942 and 1945 with the vast majority
being supplied to the Wehrmacht. Small numbers were however sold
to Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary. A few
even turned up in Syria and took part in the 1967 Arab / Israeli
War. This “winterized”
StuGⅢ has been given by its crew a ‘winter
whitewash’ coat of camouflage and could be placed somewhere in the
Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944... or perhaps
on the Russian Front in the latter half of WW2. SPECIAL
NOTE: Just
200 of this version are available and each
one comes with a well-wrapped up vehicle commander scanning the horizon for
any enemy activity. AVAILABLE:
Early March B.
“ROMANS
& BARBARIANS” Five
releases, seven figures make up this latest issue of Rome’s enemies, both ‘captured’
and ‘fighting’... RnB020
“The Centurion & His Prisoner” This
Centurion, sword in hand, is taking no chances with this captured Celtic warrior.
Although trussed up in a heavy wooden stock some prisoners are capable of
anything even when ‘locked-up’ in this manner. RnB022 “Kneel & Obey” A kneeling Gallic prisoner
is told to pay attention and watch the fate of other Roman captives as they
are being punished. RnB034 “The Galloping Gaul” Spear held aloft and ready to be
thrown at the hated Roman invaders this mounted Gaul is not impressed
by the might of Rome. RnB037 “Charging Gaul” Totally unafraid this Gaul
charges towards the enemy. RnB039 “Shouting Celt” Sword in one hand, shield in the
other, this red-haired Celt screams defiance at the enemy. Add
these latest Romans & Barbarian’s to our existing ones and you have the
makings of a dangerous horde of ‘Enemies of Rome’. AVAILABLE:
Mid March C.
“RETURN
TO THE ALAMO” SIX additional reinforcements for the
beleaguered garrison still holding off Santa Anna’s army at the little
mission in San Antonio, Texas. RTA107
“Tennessee Woodsman” One of Davy
Crockett’s backwoods volunteers who journeyed with him to Texas to join the
fight for Texan independence. RTA108
“James Murray Brown” This
Pennsylvania native was born in 1800 and moved to Texas in 1835. He
took part in the siege of Bexar and became part of the Alamo garrison
where he perished on the morning of March 6, 1836. RTA110
“The Flagbearer” Micajah Autry, originally from North Carolina
was born in 1793 and fought previously in the War of 1812. A
well-read and educated man he had been a farmer, teacher and a lawyer before
enlisting in the ‘Volunteer Auxiliary Corps of Texas’ in early 1836
just in time to take part in the Alamo struggle. Here he
carries one of several flags that are said to have flown over the Alamo
itself... This one was the Mexican tricolor complete with ‘1824’ sewn
in black in the middle of the tricolor’s white strip. Like all
the other defenders he died on the morning of March 6. RTA116
“Thomas R. Miller” Tom Millar was a member of the Gonzales
Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. Under the
command of Lieut. George C. Kimble and Capt. Albert Martin,
Millar and 30 other men successfully passed through Santa Anna’s besieging
army and galloped into the Alamo on February 23, 1836 never to leave. RTA117 “George Neggan of South Carolina” Another horseman of the Gonzales
Ranging Company armed only with a pistol. RTA120 “James C. Gwynne” Originally born in England he
moved to Texas from Mississippi where he had been a farmer. At the Alamo he
was a member of Capt. William Carey’s artillery company. Here,
however, he’s taken up his musket to fire at the attacking Mexican infantry. AVAILABLE: Mid
March D.
“THE
KING’S GERMANS” For 13
years between 1803 and 1816, there was one major British Army unit that primarily
consisted of German expatriates... The King’s German Legion. Under
overall British command the Legion earned the unique distinction of
being the only German military force to fight without
interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars! After the occupation of Hanover
by Napoleon’s troops in 1803 many former Hanoverian officers and soldiers
fled to Britain where GeorgeⅢ King of Great Britain was also Elector of Hanover.
The King sanctioned a volunteer
corps of all arms infantry, artillery and cavalry to be raised
and named them, ‘The King’s German Legion’. Soon, it grew to a strength of
14,000 officers and men and played a vital role in Britain’s defeat of the
French emperor. Among the Legion’s most famous
regiments were two Regiments of Light Dragoons. Here, for the
first time, are King & Country’s mounted tribute to these fine German
horsemen. NA427“KGL Dragoon w/Sabre Down” Based on a classic illustration
of a mounted charging Dragoon of the Napoleonic era this figure looks
about to engage an enemy infantryman or perhaps a gunner! NA429“KGL Dragoon Advancing at
the Gallup” Another Dragoon moving into the
attack sabre at the ready. NA430“KGL
Dragoon Charge” You can almost
hear the shout as this particular Dragoon charges
forward to engage the opposition sabre held menacingly over his head. NA431“KGL Dragoon Moving
Forward” This Dragoon rests his sabre on
his shoulder as he prepares to change from the gallup
to the full charge. AVAILABLE: Mid-Late March SPECIAL NOTE: THREE additional KGL
Dragoons will also be released to join these first four.... Among them a
Regimental Trumpeter. E.
‘A
LONG HUE AWAY...’ At least 150 years after the wars
of Napoleon we move from the lush green fields Holland and Belgium to
the rubble-strewn streets and shell-blasted buildings of Vietnam’s ancient
Imperial city of HUE during the TET Offensive of 1968... Here are some great-looking USMC
reinforcements fighting their way into the old Imperial capital. VN040 “The Scout” Cautiously edging forward this ‘Grunt’
takes a look at what is just around the corner... VN043 “Hunkered-Down” Another Marine is also interested
in seeing what’s just around the next corner. VN044 “Wait” One hand stretched back to tell
his buddies to halt this Marine is watching and waiting. VN045 “Kneeling LAW Gunner” In the close-quarter fighting
that took place all over HUE the M72 LAW (Light Anti
Tank Weapon) proved invaluable at taking out enemy bunkers,
buildings and machine gun ‘nests’... One shot... One kill! VN050 “Vietnam War Dog” War dogs could be trained to
sniff-out explosives or uncover hidden exits and entrances to underground
bunkers and tunnels. This Marine handler and his German Shepherd seem
to be on the trail of something... or someone. AVAILABLE: Mid-Late March F.
‘STREETS
OF OLD HONG KONG’ It’s been a while since we
provided “Streets” collectors with an all-new façade so here’s
one to fit the bill... HK283 “Grain & Grocery Store” This three-level façade is
typical of the kind of general food store that used to be found all over Hong
Kong and other Chinese cities. On display are various kinds of ‘smoked
and cured meats’ as well as large display buckets of different types of
rice... the main staple of many Asian diets. HK286 “The Chinese Grocer” The perfect ‘companion piece’
for HK283, or indeed any of our traditional Chinese Shop / House
facades. Our grocer is dressed in the
style of a late 19th Century, businessman... prosperous to show
that he is successful but not ‘too prosperous’ to reveal that he might
be charging too much for his goods and services!!! And those fellow collectors are
our March releases except... To show you the items being retired. 2.
BEING
RETIRED... HK241 New Village gateway MK112 Take That! MK113 Wounded SP042 Oil Drums TGE001 The Great Escapers TP002 The Opel ‘BLITZ’ Truck Many thanks for reading I hope
there’s something that might interest you and, if not there’s always April... All the best and happy
collecting! Andy C. Neilson Co-founder & Creative
Director King & Country Ltd. |